American Apparel's former 2nd and Central retail location is now stripped, so to speak, as it relocates to new ground floor retail at 375 E 2nd Street . . –– LAT's LA Music blog reports that the Secret French Musical Guest appearing at the July 27 AA sample sale is Sebastien Tellier. "who not only has the sample sale date blocked off on his tour schedule
as “AA Show” in Los Angeles, but Tellier debuted his new album
“Sexuality” on American Apparel shelves before it ever hit music stores." . . –– Also, AA has a blog dubbed Daily Update that's written by staffers and goes beyond press releases.

DIG-NITARIES BREAKING GROUND: Monday morning heat didn't wilt the spirits of the South Los Angeles neighborhood stakeholders who joined in the ceremonial opening shoveling of the Meta Housing Corporation's Adams and Central mix-used development. It will have three levels of affordable housing with 80 apartment units––of which 30 will include 3 bedrooms––placed above 19,000 square feet of ground floor retail. The big news is a chunk of that retail space will be a Fresh and Easy. "Fresh & Easy is
committed to serving all different types of neighborhoods,” said Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market CEO Tim Mason. “We strongly believe
everyone deserves fresh, wholesome food at affordable prices,
regardless of where they live."

“Ashley’s Ashes” is the Bill Langlois Monroe independently produced feature currently in production, and the Christopher Hutson and William Langlois script has Bloom’s General Store and the Downtown Los Angeles Arts District as the backdrop. Monroe, who spent time in the area and with Joel Bloom, said of the indie film, "With all the filming in this part of Downtown, the Arts District has never been seen as itself.”

The film's story follows Bob Tuttle, played by actor Googy Gress, who is willed the ashes of a woman and sets off seek her identity, He find himself at a general store where the character, named Bloom, is working the counter and becomes Tuttle’s guide.

“In the end it's revealed at Bloom's store just who Ashley was,” says Monroe. “ The character , Bloom, knew all along and was instrumental in helping the young girl, who eventually died of cancer, get the information she needed to reach Bob.”

While Bloom is celebrated as the patriarch of a neighborhood who kept his eyes on needs and rights of local residents, those who know him may chuckle slightly when he is seen on the large screen as the fuzzy and warm winged angel of the streets. Monroe said "Yes. It is a bit of Hollywood to soften the edges," but adds "I may have add a 'what da ya want?'"

Once informed a Bloom impersonation contest is planned for the memorial [being held today] he laughed and said it may have to be part of his research.

According to Monroe, Bloom will be played by Daniel Baldwin who signed on the project just this week.

An image of Self Help founder Sister Karen Boccalero sat near the press
conference. It's a piece of Man-One's Metro Gold Line Commission "The Four Pillars" that was installed as a temporary mural at First and Soto in Boyle Heights.

A CHO-LO-SPHERE LOOK AT THE CHO-LA-SPHERE.

PATRON SAINTS: Self Help Graphics & Art held a Friday morning press conference over the July 3rd sale of their building that took the board of directors and County Supervisor Gloria Molina by surprise. Also worth noting is Self Help's new blog, and that the current print exhibit is one of the better ones they have had. Proceeds go to Self Help. For more on the press conference. view LAEastside's Immaculate Deception.. . ––STILL ON FIRE: Underground Gallery opens "Sandy Rodriguez: La Retrospecivita 1998-2008" with an reception tomorrow, Sunday July 13, from 7 - 10 pm. A conversation with the artist will be held July 27 at 2pm. Underground Gallery is at 1612 Waterloo Street, LA CA (213) 413-5913. Previously on VFaL. Also, it's the one year anniversary for the Echo Park adjacent gallery.. . ––OLD POST, BUT WORTH A LOOK: Ari Moore reviews Chicana Art: The Politics of Spiritual and Aesthetic Altarities.. . ––OUTSIDE L.A.: If you miss Sonia Romero's Saturday afternoon opening reception for her project "The Lion's Share" you have until August 9 to see the her solo show celebrating the summer season. It's at The Folk Tree in Pasadena (217 South Fair Oaks Ave.). . ––REBEL YELL: Pharmaka's "Rebel Legacy" takes the Chicano art movement into abstraction and is worth a long visit. The exhibit is curated by Kathy Gallegos, Director of Avenue 50 Gallery and ends July 31. A panel discussion with the artists, and book signing will be held Saturday, July 19, at 2pm. Pharmaka is located at 101 W. 5th Street, at the corner of Main St.

Phyllis Stein Art: Curious Metro riders watched gallery row invade their bus stop on 5th, between Broadway and Spring. A few came in to take a look and gave pensive nod of approval, then scattered to the curb with their respective busses arrived.

Above: Main Street and the Regent Theater from the puesdo-noir
'The Street with No Name' Downtown L.A. becomes Center CIty in the film, and Main St is in the middle of Skid Row. (1948). Below: Main Street and the Regent Theater, with "Main St Recovery" mural, the day of July's Downtown Art Walk. Top via LAHTC; below VFaL.

The East Los Angeles building that houses Self Help Graphics and Art has been secretly on the list of properties the Catholic Archdiocese planned to sell off to pay off the $660 million dollar settlement. Self Help was founded by Catholic nun Sister Karen Boccalero over 35 years ago, and the non-profit organization was notified that the Catholic Archdiocese sold the building to an undisclosed private real estate and investment company, according to the press release.

A 10am press conference and community meeting is set for Friday, July 11 at Self Help Graphics & Art (3802 Cesar Chavez Avenue). More from the release after the jump.

Marcy Tropin is a transplanted NYer who just opened a new Arts District yoga studio. She will be twisting bodies at Factory Place Yoga. Like Wurstküche, who will open their E 3rd and Traction cafe for take out in mid-August, and Kazuo, the fashion brand who has also taken up residency on Traction, Joel Bloom is a name on a sign and the subject of stories from the locals. We welcome them all, and invite them–– and you––to the Joel Bloom Memorial and Arts District Block Party being held Sunday July 13, in Joel Bloom Square. More at blogdowntown.